Now that the Indian summer London has been graced with in the last few weeks is officially over and that the whirlwind of events brought by the London Design Festival and Fashion week have come to an end, there is yet another event not to be missed, starting today, before PAD and Frieze Masters enthrall the design and art communities next week.

Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler have once again come up trumps with yet another fascinating collaboration, this time ceramics, one of A-Gent of Style‘s favourite decorative objets. The iconic English design firm in association with Adrian Sassoon is pleased to present a selling exhibition of Hitomi Hosono’s latest work at their legendary Brook Street showroom from today until Tuesday 27th October 2015. The famous 18th century Mayfair townhouse and its elegant interiors provide the perfect setting for Hitomi’s magical and intricately carved ceramics comprising over 30 works inspired by the renowned Colefax and Fowler classic fabric collections.

The Japanese-born, London-based artist is spearheading a new generation of ceramicists, appealing to collectors who value the art form as much as sculpture and fine art. It takes Hosono approximately three months to develop a new design and mould. Some of the smaller pieces take a month or so to make and then another three months to dry before firing whilst the larger works can take up to six months to dry before being ready to fire. Despite this painstaking process, the artist manages to achieve intricate and delicate results which somehow have something of the past as well as looking rather futuristic.

Hitomi first studied ceramics at the renowned Kanazawa College of Art, later attending Danmarks Designskole in Denmark, before taking her MA in ceramics and glass at the Royal College of Art. The recipient of many awards, her work is in the permanent collections of major museums, including the Victoria and Albert and the British Museum.

“I enjoyed time spent in the Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler townhouse” said the artist. “The sumptuous interiors populated by an incredibly diverse collection of antiques and works of art were fascinating. I found myself drawn particularly towards objects with a history of trade and the Far East. In this magnificent English house a sense of cross-cultural spirit has flourished.”

“One Colefax and Fowler fabric pattern which caught my eye featured beautiful roses and pansies, which appeared to be moving as if blown by a gentle summer breeze. The softness and delicacy of rose petals is something that I wish to communicate in my own work and has led me to explore new forms and ways of aligning sweeping porcelain petal elements along a curve, emanating from multiple dense centres.”

“Hitomi’s work represents all I admire in contemporary ceramics” says Philip Hooper, design director for Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler. “The craftsmanship, patience, vision and technical skill involved in creating these fragile pieces is almost beyond comprehension. I am thrilled that she has found so much inspiration in 39 Brook Street and that it has been a catalyst in helping her to create many new pieces that will be on show for the first time.”

Summer in London means Masterpiece, one of the landmark events in London’s collecting calendar, which opened yesterday to the public. As a huge devotee of antiques and art fairs, A-Gent of Style was eager to witness this year’s edition, now in its 6th year, and attended the preview on Wednesday, his enthusiasm hugely enhanced in the last few weeks by the daily build-up on Instagram (where else). Rating Masterpiece as one of his highlights of the London art fair circuit, A-Gent of Style was wowed this year once again by the sheer brilliance and diversity of the elegantly curated vignettes showcasing objets of the highest calibre

Masterpiece London, a true international, cross-collecting fair for art, brings together more than 150 leading exhibitors, old friends and newcomers (A-Gent of Style made once again some great discoveries, and was also delighted to see a few of his most cherished antiques dealers were exhibiting for the first time), from around the world to showcase a superb selection of museum-quality art, antiques, jewellery, furniture and design. The fair attracts avid collectors, connoisseurs and enthusiasts across a wide range of collecting categories and has established itself as notable highlight of the annual art fair calendar. Set in the magnificent South Grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, Masterpiece takes place over seven days until July 1.

Nazy Vassegh, Chief Executive of Masterpiece Fair, London

The mastermind of this masterpiece, Nazy Vassegh, the delightful and brilliant Chief Executive of Masterpiece says, “The eight days when Masterpiece takes place is the epicenter of the art season in London. After just five years Masterpiece is now firmly regarded as both a leading international art fair and a welcome addition to the summer in London. We are particularly delighted by the exhibitors and partners that will join us for the 2015 edition.”

As in previous years, the range of disciplines is vast, providing something of interest for every visitor. Each item is selected and individually vetted by a committee of independent experts and specialists before the fair begins, which guarantees quality and authenticity is of the highest order alongside fabulous bars and dining such as Scott’s, The Ivy and Le Caprice.

In no particular order of preference (so don’t get jealous, fellas), A-Gent of Style presents today snapshots he took on Wednesday morning of some of the works that dazzled him. Visitors will no doubt relish the chance to acquire such rare pieces or simply enjoy temptation on a grand scale.

Today at 2pm, Christie’s South Kensington, London, presents an auction dedicated to the master glass-maker René Lalique. The sale will comprise 138 lots and offer an array of vases – in clear and frosted, opalescent, bold colours and subtle hues – alongside iconic lighting, table wares, scent bottles, clocks and car mascots. Estimates range from just £700 up to £120,000.

The calibre of this sale replete with jewel-like coloured works is a fitting tribute to the extraordinary vision and creativity of the master glass-maker René Lalique who continues to enthrall an international audience of discerning collectors nearly seven decades after his death.

The Lalique brand is synonymous with both quality and artistry and demand for works by this important designer is testament to René Lalique’s legacy. Christie’s has been selling Lalique at auction since specialist Decorative Art & Design sales began in 1971 and has offered more Lalique at auction than any other auction house internationally.

Joy McCall, an authority on Lalique and this sale’s specialist, kindly shared her expertise with A-Gent of Style and explained why this auction will be significant.

Joy McCall, Christie’s Lalique specialist, at an event In May celebrating South Kensington’s 40th anniversary, showing some rare and arresting pieces from the sale.

This sale is dominated by colour vases, which remain perhaps the most sought after aspect of the market at present. There are a number of designs which we see clients collecting to form sets, for example the Formose vase (lots 130-137) is offered in 8 different colours and the Ronce vase (lots 94-98) in 5 colour versions. The sale also offers vases in rare colours, such as lot 44 in red, lot 46 in amber, lot 47 in red, lot 98 in green and lot 114 in lime-green. It is not necessarily that the design is rare but that it appears in this colour which is remarkable.

One of the earliest items in the sale is lot 9, Quatre Masques vase with handle, which dates from 1911. No one can remember seeing this particular vase appear at auction previously, so it is exciting to make a fresh discovery. A version without a handle has been offered at auction in the past, but this is the first time the Quatre Masques vase has come to auction with a handle, and it is this addition which makes it so rare.

There are also some rare enamelled wares in this sale. Lot 4, Nimroud vase, infrequently appears at auction and lot 7 Chamois vase I have not seen in red before. The background design has a thinner wash of enamel and the animals are then highlighted in a strong red enamel.

Car mascots remain a highly collectible area of the market with individuals specifically seeking to complete the ‘set’. Lalique designed most of these in 1928 and 1929. In the new age of speed and the motorcar they were symbols of prestige, and remain so today.

Below is a selection from the sale’s catalogue of A-Gent of Style‘s favourite pieces.